Integration of an in-situ recovery operation with a mining operation

Abstract

This description is directed to a method and system for integrating an in-situ bitumen recovery operation with a bitumen mining operation for improved efficiencies and synergies therebetween. The method comprises obtaining a production fluid from the in-situ bitumen recovery operation, directing the production fluid to the bitumen mining operation, and incorporating the production fluid into the bitumen mining operation. The basic integrated system comprises a production well for recovering production fluid from the in-situ bitumen recovery operation, a bitumen mining and extraction facility, and a transporter for directing the production fluid from the production well to the bitumen mining and extraction facility for incorporation into the mining and extraction operation. The in-situ recovery operation may be a thermal operation, such as steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD), cyclic steam stimulation (CSS), or a derivative thereof.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority from Canadian Patent Application number 2,610,463 which was filed on 9 Nov. 2007, which is incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]Generally, the present invention relates to the bitumen and heavy oil industry. More particularly, the present invention relates to in-situ bitumen recovery operations and bitumen mining operations.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]This section is intended to introduce various aspects of the art, which may be associated with exemplary embodiments of the present invention. This discussion is believed to assist in providing a framework to facilitate a better understanding of particular aspects of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that this section should be read in this light, and not necessarily as admissions of prior art.[0004]Oil sand deposits, located in many regions of the world, comprise mixtures of sand, water, clay, minerals, ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0027]The hot production fluid may be incorporated into any process in the mining operation, such as an extraction, separation or treatment process. The hot production fluid may alternatively be cooled prior to incorporation into a mining process, e.g. via conventional heat exchange, and the captured heat may be used to heat a fluid required for the mining operation.

Problems solved by technology

Bitumen does not flow at normal ambient temperatures and pressures making it difficult and expensive to extract and process.

A significant disadvantage of the bitumen mining operation is that the operation is subject to upset and down time whenever problems occur at either the mining, recovery or processing level.

Thus, production volumes can be inconsistent from day to day and there is a need to smooth out fluctuations in production.

The bitumen mining operation requires expensive and elaborate processing facilities and an abundance of water, typically provided from a nearby river or lake or process affected water from a storage pond, as well as energy for heat generation.

In-situ oil recovery methods, such as in-situ thermal recovery methods, are applied when the bitumen is buried deep within a reservoir and cannot be mined economically due to the depth of the overburden.

The process to separate the hot production fluids into their individual components and the subsequent treatment of the separate streams is complex and is prone to operational upsets and down time.

While it is recognized that in-situ techniques disturb considerably less land than mining operations, and therefore require less land reclamation activity, in-situ techniques are highly capital intensive and require a significant number of vessels for processing, treatment and storage, and disposal areas, that occupy a large land footprint.

The commercial development of smaller sized thermal operation plants (e.g. <20,000 bbl / d bitumen) may not currently be feasible due to high capital investment costs of the existing technologies.

Challenges associated with bitumen mining and in-situ bitumen recovery processes in general include intense capital investment and operating costs, large land footprint due to the equipment and land required for bitumen extraction and processing and waste management and disposal, and vulnerability to fluctuations in production and downtime.

There has been a lack of success in achieving effective improvements in these areas, despite the progress made in oil sand extraction technologies and the increasing global awareness of industrial environmental impacts.

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